Improvement in car-springs



G. DOUGLASS.

Car'Sprng. N0. 39,901. i Patented Sept. l5, 1863.

Witnesses: 'Inventon AMFHOTQ-LITHD. S0. N.Y. DSBGRNE'S PROCESS) GEORGE noUeLAss, or scEANToN, rENNsYLvANiA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-SPRINGS.

PATENT OFFICE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,901, dated September 15, 1863.'

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, GEORGE 'DoUGLAss, of Scranton, in the county of Luzerneand State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Railroad-Gar Springs; and'I hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form apart of this specification, and of which- ,Y

Figure 1 is'a top view, and Fig. 2 a side elevation, of my improved pedestal car-spring 5 Fig. 3, Va longitudinal section ,thereof in the line x m, and Fig. y4., a cross-section in theline y y, of Fig. l, showing the relation and peculiar arrangement of its several parts; Fig. 5, a longitudinal sectionof the spring when partially-compressed, showing the manner and direction of its vibrations. Fig. Sis an additional sectional view of the spring, illustrating different modes of securing the elastic levers D D in their proper positions.

Similar letters indicate like parts in each of the drawings.

My improved pedestal carspring is arranged within an open rectangular case or frame, whose ends A A are so prolonged beyoud the sides B B as to form ila-nges a a a a to embrace the jaws of the pedestals which guide the vertical movements of the car with reference to its axles. The inner face of each of these end pieces, A and A', of the spring,

`lease, or frame, is tted with a central horizontal ledge or projection, (J, Fig. 3, extending across the same, parallel with its top and bottom edges, and these ledges c c support the ends of one or more plates of elastic welltempered steel D D, constituting the spring proper. The width ofthe projections or ledges c c, and consequently the extent ordepth of the opencentral chamber, E, formed in my improved spring, is increased or diminished in` leaves of my improved spring, and secure uniformity in their-action and movement, lmake the inner faces of the cap or bearing-plates off a convex form, so that pressure therefrom is first applied immediately to the center of the spring proper. The cap-plates are secured in their place upon the elastic leaves, and these also retained in an active position by means of simple Hat-headed uniting-bolts G G, Figs.

3 and 5, which pass through apertures formed forA the purpose in the cap-plates FF and elastic leaves D D, and are fastenedby means of nuts d d, as fclearly shown in Fig. 5. It is evident, however, that as the spring is compressed the endsof these rigid bolts G G will b csleft projecting above the outer face of the cap-plates. To provide forv this fact, and to protect thebolts from injury by contact with resisting surfaces, Iform a flange or rim, lc k, upon the outer edge of these capplates F F, V(sce Figs. 1 and 3,) projecting so far above theouter face thereof as to leave or form a recess thereon equal to the `extent of vibration inthe spring. is desirable to avoid altogether theuse of bolts in securing the elasticfleaves or plates D and'D in their proper positions, I add al second cleat or projection, H, upon the inner side of the end plate, A, of the frame, as shown in Fig. 6, parallel with the supporting-ledge c, and at such a distance therefrom as to rc` ceive and embrace the full number' of elastic leaves D D desired in' the particular spring. rEhe lower side of this cleat or projection H may be advantageously formed, as shown by the sectional View thereof, Fig. G-that is, with an inward slope, but this is not strictly essential.

Instead of forming a recess to receive the ends of the elastic leaves by attaching projections to the side of the frame, as shown in Figs. 3,- 5, and upon one side of Fig. 6, it is evident that the side may be made thick v enough to admit of the formation of a suitable recess immediately therein, as is clearly illustrated by the side A of Fig. 6.

In securing the ends of the elastic plates within recesses one ofthe end pieces, A, of the frame or spring-case is left loose until the elastic leaves are placed in position, when, by fastening the same, the whole combinat1on is secured.

I believe that a concavoconcave form is When, however, it

best adapted to the purpose for which I use the supporting ilanges or ledges c c, but I do not limit myself thereto, for a convexed form may be used, and I contemplate any form of projection which will properly sustain or. conline the ends ot' the elastic plates of my iniproved spring, and serveto separate the distinct series when placed in the position herein described; nor do I desire to limit myself to the particular mode of supporting the Weight of the load upon the center of the spring, as herein described, for any device for upholding the Weight upon the center of the elastic plates will subserve my purpose, althoughin view of the tact that by the use of a converted block or cap-plate, in compressing the spring plates, the beari 11g-surface gradually increases, and the plates are thereby proportionally protectedv fromstrain, as their elasticity is gradually overcome. l prefer such a.l form in the construction and arrangement ot' my spring.

The elastic plates or leavesy may be' broad, or so narrow as that two or more may be placed side by side in filling the width ot' the lrame. I usually arrangethem in pairs, as shown in Fig. 4, with semicircular notches, to embrace the bolts G G, passing centrally through the division-line 4between them, as shown in Fig. 5. Any suitable number of these elastic plates D D may also be superimposed one upon another in building up the spring, its stiffness being, as already stated, ina measure regulated by their number as well as by their size. Hence 1 propose to make my spring more generally useful and desirable by placing a greater number ot' these plates upon one side of the central vibra-ting chamber, E, Fig. 3, than on the other, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 6, so that the one side being more .yielding and elastic, and therefore more sensitive, will vibrate freely The arrangement of my improved springs in' rectangular frames makes them eminently lsuitable for combination with the pedestals and axles of railroad-car trucks, and for this end they are especially designed.

As the use of a series of elastic bars or leaves ot' steel, supported or confined at their ends alone. and their compression by the use` ofa centrally-converted bearing-plat has been substantially claimed in patents heretofore issued, I do not regard these tentures of my spring as exclusively my own invention; but

What I do claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isy y An improved railroad-car spring formed of one or more series of straight elastic plates, when said elastic plates are compressed from opposite directions, and so confined in a rectangular frarne as to leave an intermediate vibrating space between each distinct series, controlling the extent of their curvature, all substantially in themanner herein set forth.

The foregoing specification of my improved v railroad car spring signed by me this 1st day of June, A. D. 1863.

GEORGE DOUGLASS.

In presence ot'- F. It. SHrLsToNE, DENNIS TIERNEY. 

